League Cup Final - Five things about the Seaview showdown that you may or may not want to know?

Nicky Fullerton

Ballymena United claimed the League Cup after seeing off Carrick Rangers 2-0 at Seaview on Saturday,

A goal from Allan Jenkins just before half-time and a strike from Conor McCloskey near the death sealed the win for the Sky Blues and theygot their hands on the trophy for the first time in the club's history.

And here are a few tings about Saturday's final........

1. The two managers - David Jeffrey and Aaron Callaghan - could not be more different in terms of winning cups.

United manager Jeffrey is no stranger to silverware. In his time at charge at Linfield Jeffrey won 22 Cups - which included seven Irish Cups, six League Cups, six County Antrim Shield wins, one Setanta Cup, one Irish FA Charity Shield and one Irish League Floodlit Cup Final. He also claimed nine Irish league titles - so he knows about winning and Saturday's victory takes him one trophy past Irish League legend Roy Coyle.

While Callaghan is the complete opposite - as he had no cup wins on his record and that stays the same after Saturday's final......

2. And it was great to see two of the so called smaller teams in a cup final as 3300 fans packed themselves into Seaview to see the final.. Flags, scarves, jerseys and painted faces were the order of the day for both sets of fans as they enjoyed their day out at the final. It was also good to see the final held at a smaller venue as the place was packed, the atmosphere was great and I am sure the executives at Sky Sports will be hoping for more of this on their television screens.

Both teams had sold their allocation of tickets for the big day and tat is a good sign for local football as the interest is there.

3.This win for United ends a long wait for the club.

As United' had not won a major trophy since 1989 when a Paul Hardy goal at the Oval saw off Larne 1-0.

Carrick;s last major cup success was against Linfield in 1976 when they lifted the Irish Cup when Gary Prenter scored two goals - so both sides were desperate for a Cup win - but Carrick's 40 year wait goes on.

4. It is also amazing what a 35 year old Scot can do and Allan Jenkins got the opener for United. The midfielder missed a chance in the opening minutes but he made no mistake two minutes before the break.

Jenkins has been a great servant for the Sky Blues and he may leave the club in the summer - but the former Stranraer, Gretna and Greenock Morton player will remember his Cup final goal for quite some time.

5. It was also good to see former Crusaders hero Chris Morrow coming on for the last few minutes of the final for Carrick Rangers Morrow's career was cruelly hampered by injury and he was in the squad for the game until a Carrick player was injured in the warm-up. And at 31 years of age it probable will be one of his last chances to win some silverware.